Men on the move: narratives of migration and work among low-paid migrant men in London

Abstract

The impact of migration on gender identities, norms and conventions has been predominantly understood from the perspective of female migrants. Far less attention has been paid to the potential that migration entails for the negotiation and reconstruction of male identities. Drawing on sixty-seven in-depth interviews with male migrants employed in low-paid work in London, this paper explores the reworking of male identities at different stages of ‘the migration project’, focusing particularly upon the reasons extended for migration and how these are shaped by gender ideologies in home countries and negotiation of life and work in London. The paper also draws attention to ways in which these re-negotiations are themselves cross-cut by ethnic, racial and class differences, so constructing a more nuanced picture of mobile men and male identities.

L'impact de la migration sur les identités, les normes, et les conventions du genre a été principalement compris de la perspective des femmes migrantes. Beaucoup moins d'attention a été portée au potentiel que la migration entraine pour la négociation et la reconstruction des identités masculines. En utilisant 67 entretiens en profondeurs avec des hommes migrants employés en travail des bas salaires en Londres, cet article explore le retravaillement des identités masculines aux phases différentes du ‘projet de la migration’, se concentrant en particulier sur les raisons présentaient pour la migration et comment elles sont modelées au cause des idéologies du genre dans les pays natales et la négociation de la vie et le travail en Londres. Cet article attire aussi l'attention sur les moyens dont ces renégociations elles-mêmes sont tissées par les différences ethniques, raciales et classes sociales donc en construisant une image plus nuancée des hommes qui bougent et des identités masculines.

El impacto de migración en identidades de género, normas y convenciones ha sido entendido predominantemente desde la perspectiva de mujeres migrantes. Se ha dado mucho menos atención a la posibilidad de negociación y reconstrucción de identidades masculinos a través la migración. Utilizando 67 entrevistas en profundidad con hombres migrantes empleados en trabajo mal pagado en Londres, este papel se explora la adaptación de identidades masculinos en varias etapas del ‘proyecto de migración’. Se enfoca específicamente en los razones extendidos por migración y como estos están formados por ideologías de género en los países maternos y la negociación de vida y trabajo en Londres. El papel también se llama la atención a como estas renegociaciones también están cruzados por diferencias étnicas, raciales y de clase, así construyendo un imagen más matizado de hombres móviles y identidades masculinos.

Keywords:

• men
• migration
• gender
• intersectionality
• work
• London

Keywords:

• hommes
• migration
• genre
• intersectionalité
• travail
• Londres

Keywords:

• hombres
• migración
• género
• interseccionlidad
• trabajo
• Londres

Acknowledgements

The authors would like to acknowledge the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) for funding this research as well three anonymous reviewers for their excellent advice.

Notes

1 It is equally important to acknowledge the importance of considering both men and women (migrants) in relation to each other which we do elsewhere (McIlwaine et al. 2006).

2 This includes a rich body of anthropological work on labour migratory systems in the Southern African region (Harney and Baldassar 2007).

3 The rationale for the selection of these specific sectors is further elaborated upon in Evans et al. (2005).

4 While the majority of the in-depth interviews were conducted by the authors, we are particularly indebted to Eva Natamba and Boguslaw Potoczny for their assistance in conducting interviews with Congolese and Polish respondents. respectively.

5 This included migrants from Brazil who had acquired either Portuguese, Spanish or Italian citizenship (Evans et al. 2007).

6 In turn, while tourist visas are of limited duration and include any period up to a maximum of six months (although proposals to reduce this to a maximum of three months are currently being considered) and explicitly prohibit employment, student visas allow migrants to work for a maximum of twenty hours a week during term time and full time in holidays for the period of their enrolment, which can be extended (Evans et al. 2007).

7 Alvaro is referring to the immigration queue for non-EU citizens.

8 Our discussion on living and working illegally in London is dominated by the narratives of a few Brazilian migrants who spoke to us about their irregular status.

9 A common reason for not renewing student visas is due to the cost of school and visa fees as well as a lack of time to balance both study and work (see also Evans et al. 2007).